The present invention relates to an improved design for a handle for an orthopedic walker and for a ball glide for the base of a leg of an orthopedic walker.
Walkers are essential to the mobility of many individuals who suffer from handicaps which affect the lower extremities. Current walker designs, however, are afflicted with shortcomings which limit the amount of use a handicapped individual can make of the walker. Notable among these shortcomings are non-ergonomically-designed handles or hand grips, and walker leg terminal end caps that do not move readily over obstacles.
While numerous attempts have been made to create ergonomic hand grips for walkers, these attempts have been unsuccessful due to failure to recognize the nature of a grip profile capable of conforming most naturally to the shape of a human hand, or the inability to integrate such shapes into walker handles. The result of these failures is primarily the risk of the user falling due to having a less than secure grip on the walker. This risk is significantly magnified due to the hand fatigue created by non-ergonomically-designed hand grips.
The hand grip design of the present invention overcomes the shape-related failures of prior attempts by recognizing that an ergonomic hand grip design must conform to the natural shape of the human hand and the hand is far more adept at grasping a sphere on a uniform cylinder. Thus, the hand grip design of the present invention incorporates curvature in several planes to provide greater comfort and safety for the user.
Due to the design of most walkers, the grip is often incorporated on a spine or handle which generally is closed, i.e., butted on each end by a structural support member. This structural configuration has greatly limited prior designs in terms of hand grip shapes that could be employed, materials that could be used, and interchangeability of hand grips. Prior art hand grips are not easily interchangeable in the field. An additional but no less significant benefit of the hand grip of the present invention is the ability to incorporate the unique ergonomic design of the present invention onto a handle or spine which is in abutting relationship on each end with a structural member. This structure, used on virtually all walkers, has greatly limited the ability of designers to incorporate ergonomic shapes into hand grips. Attempts to create ergonomic hand grips have been unsuccessful because the internal mounting surface on the grip and the external mounting surface on the walker are cylindrical, necessitating the use of adhesive which often fails over time. The present invention overcomes this limitation by providing a hand grip which is both easily removable and, once assembled, is extremely secure.
As mentioned above, walker designs have also been afflicted with shortcomings relating to leg end caps which do not move readily over obstacles. Prior art designs have included traditional cup-shaped rubber feet, small skis, or inverted, small semi-spherical mushroom-shaped caps having a total height of about a quarter of an inch. Each of these prior art designs fails, however, when the user encounters a throw rug or similar obstruction. For example, the traditional cup merely contacts and advances a ridge in the rug, and the ski and inverted mushroom designs slide beneath the rug. The result is that the user must stop his or her forward movement, lift the walker, move the walker rearward, further lift the walker, and advance forward. This presents a significant, frequent and dangerous problem for these handicapped individuals.
The end cap of the present invention overcomes these shortcomings by employing a cap which moves readily over obstacles, such as a throw rug, and does so employing a configuration which is inexpensive to manufacture. The end cap of the present invention has a generally spherical shape which not only glides over the edges of obstacles, but, in the case of a throw rug, rides over whatever roll is pushed ahead of the end cap. In the preferred embodiment, a further advantage is provided wherein the weight of the end cap is reduced by elimination of non-essential material on the external surface of the end cap.
Briefly stated, the present invention is a hand grip which includes an elongate member having a length and a cross-sectional profile perpendicular to the length. The cross sectional profile has a first convex surface, a second convex surface adjacent the first convex surface, a third convex surface adjacent the second convex surface, and a fourth surface between the first and third convex surfaces. A retention rib extends outwardly from the fourth surface and extends at least a portion of the length of the elongate member. The retention rib is generally u-shaped in cross section.
In another aspect the present invention includes a walker having a front frame having opposing lateral ends and first and second side frames connected to the front frame at the lateral ends thereof, respectively. Each side frame has fore and aft generally vertical leg portions and a first handle positioned at an upper region of each side frame. The first handle has a hand grip. The hand grip includes an elongate member having a length and a cross-sectional profile perpendicular to the length. The cross sectional profile has a first convex surface, a second convex surface adjacent to the first convex surface, a third convex surface adjacent to the second convex surface, and a fourth surface adjacent to the first and third convex surfaces. A retention rib extends outwardly from the fourth surface and extends at least a portion of the length of the elongate member. The retention rib is generally u-shaped in cross section.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a walker including a front frame having opposing lateral ends and first and second side frames connected to the front frame at the lateral ends thereof, respectively. Each side frame has fore and aft generally vertical leg portions. The leg portions each have a lower end. An end cap is positioned on the lower end of each of at least two of the leg portions. The end cap is at least semi-spherically shaped.